5 Things To A More Beautiful 2019

Article was written by BFR's founder Leslie Munsell

Well, Santa Claus came to town, 2019 is on its way and I’m starting to do the inevitable- I’m thinking about next year. 

The ideas I’m going to share with you aren’t new, perhaps nothing you haven’t heard before, but they are profound in their consistent results. Besides, these are things I have to remind myself to do everyday- maybe if I write them down and share them, I’ll be more likely to do them!

In the world of beauty, there’s always lots of advice on products of all kinds to create the perfect new look for the new year ahead. As much as we all love new products, beauty is not always about the longest wearing eyeliner, the most voluminous mascara or the best tinted moisturizer. Sometimes it’s about the simple choices you make each day that will reflect in the way you feel and look. And let’s face it- if you  feel good, you probably look good.

As a woman of 59 years, (how did that happen?) and a make up artist all of my adult life, I’ve had the opportunity to meet thousands of women and talk with them about their beauty routines. Many of them are professional beauties, Oscar winning actresses, Grammy winning singers, Olympic Medalists and supermodels. Many of them are also the women you might meet everyday who look and feel great. 

These are the 5 habits always on real beauties to-do lists.

1. Hydrate 

One of the most gorgeous women I know, (inside and out) is Gabrielle Union. At 46, she is the poster girl for aging beautifully.

She drinks a gallon of water a day. That’s a lot of trips to the ladies room but if it works for her then I’m doing my best to get in as much as I can. Water is used for moisturizing tissues and protecting internal organs, dissolving nutrients to be absorbed by the body, lubricating joints, regulating body temperature, helping the kidneys flush out waste products and helping oxygen transport to the cells. With all of those jobs it’s no wonder it’s at the top of everyone’s list. You can hydrate with the most expensive cream on the planet but without drinking water everyday, you’ll be dehydrated. 

2. Exercise

Besides all of the health benefits, we all know exercise improves the way our bodies look, but did you know it also improves the way your skin looks? By increasing blood flow, exercise helps nourish skin cells. Increased blood flow also helps carry away waste products, including free radicals. Think of it as cleansing your skin from the inside.

3. Exfoliate

Your skin is in a constant state of natural cellular turnover. It is continuously generating new skin cells at the deeper dermal layer, they rise to the surface, then die and slough off.

As we age, the process slows down and it takes longer for the aging cells to shed, resulting in a dry, dull appearance to the skin. The aging cells can also block pores resulting in blemishes or acne. Regular exfoliation reveals the younger, fresher, smoother skin below. Exfoliation also helps skin care products like anti-aging serums become more effective by penetrating the skin more easily. Be careful with your face as overdoing it can result in irritated, thin skin. There are many forms of exfoliation- find what works best for you- and one that you’ll actually do.

4. Sleep

This is a particularly tough one for me- I know that using electronic devices (phone, ipad, etc) before bed is a bad idea as the blue daylight spectrum light is stimulating and energizing, but it’s just so hard to put them down. I’m a poor sleeper anyway so I’m working on this one.  Sleep deprivation causes skin to become imbalanced and dehydrated with redness, breakouts and dark circles. Sleep is food for the skin and brain, it’s when your body works to remove dead blood cells making way for new ones, giving your skin that “I woke up like this” glowing look.

5. Passion

Many studies have been done and talked about regarding how beauty affects happiness. Beautiful people get special treatment, better jobs, etc. This may be true and I suppose it depends on your definition of beauty, but I also think happy people, people who have a passion for life, are also more beautiful. Find something you truly love to do or engage in and do it as often as possible. The positive energy will affect the way you feel in such a way that it will reflect in the way you look. There’s nothing more beautiful than a genuine smile.